Sinnoh Journey: Double Rival Challenge!
by RedAuraGuard
Summary: Ash has arrived in the Sinnoh Region, where he reunited with Brock, met Dawn, and encountered a new rival in Paul. But what if he met another Trainer; one who would change the journeys of Ash and Paul? Read on to learn more. (Pearlshipping, rated T just to be safe).
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1: A Mysterious Trainer Emerges!**_

_**A/N: Here's the first chapter of my new fanfic, "Sinnoh Journey: Double Rival Challenge!"**_

_** Before you read, expect this: it's not gonna be that similar to the anime. Yes, the fanfic will be based a lot off of it, but not completely. My O/C's existence is just one example. When you review, go easy on me with the beginning! I don't think it's that good…**_

_**Anyway, enjoy!**_

"Erg, that Paul!" Ash stormed furiously. "He won't treat his Pokemon right, he won't train them unless they meet his 'standards'! What's the matter with him?!"

Ash and co. had just left Professor Rowan's lab, and were headed towards Jubilife City. Unfortunately for said Trainer, he lost his first battle with his new rival Paul, and was now stewing about it.

"Chill, Ash," Dawn said soothingly. "You'll beat him when your Pokemon get stronger."

"Yeah, don't let him bother you. Remember; you just need to prepare more," Brock encouraged.

Ash nodded and looked more cheerful. "Yeah, I'll train a lot and beat him!" Suddenly, he saw another person lying on the hill beside the road. He had pale blue hair, dark blue jeans, and a light purple shirt under a gray-and-blue hoodie. Whether he was relaxing, sleeping, or just dead remained to be seen.

"Hey, you there! Are you a Trainer? Do you wanna battle?" Ash asked loudly.

The person stirred and groaned. "Shut up, I'm sleeping. Yes, I'm a Trainer. No, I'm not battling you."

"Aww, come on! Why not?"

"One, you woke me up. Two, I'm not accepting challenges today. Three, we just had a really long training session. Look at the field ahead of me," he responded.

Looking at said area, Ash, Brock, and Dawn saw the massive craters and smoking ground in the field. Fortunately, the Trainer had decided to do… whatever he did on a field without grass. The sight made Brock shiver slightly; was this training? Destroying the surrounding area?

"Sorry about waking you up," Brock said, glancing at Ash. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Whatever, I was waking up anyway," he sighed. "I'm Jack. You?"

"I'm Ash, from Pallet Town! I'm gonna be a Pokemon Master!" Pikachu waved happily from his shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Dawn! Nice to meet you!"

"The name's Brock. You know where you're going?"

"Yep, to Oreburgh. I'm no newbie, in case you're wondering." Jack got up and dusted his pants. "I know you're a Gym Leader, Brock. I've seen your battle videos of the various region competitions, Ash. But I'm assuming you're new, Dawn? You don't seem to have the same look of experience. You look about fourteen, though. Four years after the age when you can be a Trainer."

"Afraid so," she said, laughing. "You see, I only started today, and I plan on being a Coordinator! The reason is because my mom spent a lot of time preparing me for Contests so that I'll have a more successful start."

"Is that so? Well, it was nice meeting you all. I'll see you around!"

"Wait!" Ash said. "Sorry about waking you up earlier. You wanna travel with us?"

Jack stopped and thought for a moment, before nodding. "Oh, and like I said, don't worry about it. I was just a bit grouchy."

"Well, let's hit the road!" Dawn declared, and the four of them set off to their next destination.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So, how long have you been a Trainer, Ash?" Jack asked as they were traveling along Route 202.

"About four or five years now," he replied. "I've been through Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn. Didn't win any leagues, though."

"Really? I started about five years ago, too! Two years ago, I won the Hoenn League and got to challenge the Elite Four. I won against them as well, but Champion Wallace beat me. Oh well, I'll try again after Sinnoh."

"That's impressive!" Brock said approvingly. "Say, how come you were in Sandgem, anyway?"

"I needed my Pokedex updated. For all of the Sinnoh Pokemon, you know. Oh, there's the city!"

Stepping out of the wooded area, the group saw the bustle and lights of the massive Jubilife City.

"It's beautiful!" Dawn squealed. Pikachu let out a content cry, seeing the Pokemon Center nearby. "Should we go shopping?"

"Hold on, Dawn," Jack said quickly, seeing the look in her eyes. "Look at the sky; it's pretty late. Let's get to bed so we can head out soon. Not much to do here for Trainers, according to what I've heard."

"Really? Aww, man," Ash groaned, disappointed. "Well, whatever. I'm tired, anyway. Let's go get our Pokemon checked out."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Your room keys are here!" the nurse at the reception counter said cheerfully, handing each of the group their keys. "The room number is 408, and there are four beds inside."

"Thank you very much," Jack said, bowing slightly, rolling his eyes as he saw Ash say a quick thank-you and dash off with his key. Brock and Dawn followed suit, and the three of them set off to see their room.

It was a fairly simple living space, with two bunk beds, a rug, a couch, a small table with four chairs, and thick curtains to keep sunlight out. Ash had already claimed the top bunk of the right side and was relaxing on it.

The newcomer to the group chuckled; Ash seemed to be very energetic, if a little immature. "I'll get us some food. You guys kick back and relax."

"Thanks!" the three of them said, as Jack left the room, spinning his key. Dawn turned towards her new friends.

"So, what do you think of him?" she asked. Ash and Brock thought for a moment.

"He looks like a good person to me," Brock summarized. "A little mysterious, though. For example, what did he do to the field; blow it up with dynamite or something? If he caught Pokemon from here and was able to pull that off, he must be something else."

"I think he's cool!" Ash replied. "I can't wait to see his battling skills, although when we do is something I don't know."

"I'm with both of you guys. Really, I just want to see what he's like later on," Dawn said. With that, they waited on their beds until Jack returned with four trays of food, which he barely balanced in his hands.

Ash, Brock, and Dawn quickly relieved him of his burden, setting the food down on the table, before everyone started eating.

After finishing their meal, Dawn took the trays back to the cafeteria as the others changed to get ready to sleep. Ash took this time to talk to Jack.

"What kind of Pokemon do you have, anyway?" he asked the newcomer.

Said Trainer grinned. "I'll show you when we get to Oreburgh." Seeing Ash'sc disappointed face, he continued. "That's because I'm going my own way after Oreburgh, and I like to save surprises for later."

"Well, whatever…" Ash said. "It's your call." They finished up just as Dawn returned, and stepped outside to wait for her. When she opened the door, they each took a bunk and fell asleep for the night, resting for the next day's ordeals.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Looks like we're near a place called Bewilder Forest," Jack informed the group, looking at a map. The four of them had set off early in the morning, and after traveling for several hours, were resting near a cliff leading down to a waterfall and a forest.

"Bewilder Forest?" Ash asked. "What's that?"

"Bewilder Forest is a large forest infamous for its Stantler," Brock explained, pointing towards the bottom of the nearby cliff, which lead to the forest. "The Stantler tend to hypnotize people into illusions, which are often difficult to escape from alone. Some say that there are people who never escaped the forest, and died in their illusions. I wouldn't recommend training there."

Ash was about to reply, but he heard footsteps from behind. Turning around, he saw the face of a familiar rival.

"Paul!"

It was indeed the purple-haired Trainer, and he did not look happy about running into Ash again. Glancing to the side, he noticed Jack, who seemed to be analyzing Paul.

"Hmm, a new guy, huh?" he commented. "Who are you?"

"The name's Jack," Jack responded with a small smile. "You?"

"Paul," was all that the purple-haired Trainer said, before returning to his glaring at Ash. Both Trainers' eyes were focused into narrow stares at each other.

"They don't like each other much, huh?" Jack whispered to Brock and Dawn.

"Oh, you have no idea," Dawn said angrily. "He releases Pokemon just because he thinks they're weak, and criticizes them if they don't do well enough to meet his harsh standards. The total opposite of Ash." She looked ready to continue ranting, but was interrupted by Ash's and Paul's conversation.

"So, you on your way to Oreburgh, too?" Ash asked.

Paul nodded, then noticed Turtwig. "Is that Turtwig one of your new Pokemon?"

"Yeah, he is. We're talking strong," Ash replied, smiling.

Paul simply smirked. "Doesn't look like much to me."

"What?!" Next to Ash, Turtwig bristled. "Then why don't we have a three-on-three battle, and you can find out?"

"Fine!" The purple-haired Trainer took out a Pokeball. "Our last battle left a bad taste in my mouth, and that's because I only used my more recently caught Pokemon. I'll show you one of my older standbys!" He tossed a Pokeball, revealing a Murkrow.

"A Murkrow?" Dawn muttered to herself, reading the Pokemon's Pokedex entry. _Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon. It is believed that seeing this Pokemon at night will bring about ominous circumstances._

"A Flying-type…" Ash muttered. Turning to Turtwig, he said, "We can do it, though! Let's show that guy what you've got!" Turtwig grunted happily and stood off towards its flying opponent.

Jack shook his head in disapproval. "That Turtwig's not gonna be able to do it. Murkrow looks a lot more experienced; I bet Paul caught it long before he met Ash. Plus, Turtwig gets basically nothing in its movepool that can really hurt a Flying-type. Maybe if it were a Torterra with Stone Edge or something, then victory could happen."

"Ash will think of something," Brock assured the Trainer. "He's fought and won plenty of battles with type disadvantages before."

"So have I, along with basically every other Trainer in the world," Jack argued. "The real problem isn't type advantage; it's the attack coverage and experience advantage. That Murkrow hasn't seen it all, but it's seen a lot more than Turtwig."

"Why don't you go first?" Paul remarked. "Make things a bit more fair, although it'll be a losing struggle."

"We'll show you!" Ash shouted defiantly. "Turtwig, use Tackle!" The Grass-type dashed towards Murkrow with surprising speed, getting ready to jump."

"Aerial Ace! Maneuver into a Sky Attack!" Paul ordered. Murkrow flew to the side of Turtwig's Tackle, before slamming into it with blinding speeds, knocking its opponent to the ground. At the same time, the Flying-type Pokemon glowed with a harsh light, indicating Sky Attack.

"Be careful…" Dawn muttered. "That Sky Attack may take Turtwig down with one shot."

"You all right?" Turtwig staggered to its feet and nodded. "Good! Now, Razor Leaf!" The starter spun and shot a barrage of leaves at Murkrow. Unfortunately, the attack seemed to do little more than bother it.

"Fire!" said Paul. His Pokemon flew towards Ash's, diving and aiming for a one-hit knockout.

Ash smirked. "Now, use Bite on one of the wings!" As Murkrow aimed for Turtwig, the Grass-type jumped and opened its mouth, seeking to stop Sky Attack by interfering with its flight.

Jack sighed. "It was a good idea, but it won't work," he muttered.

"Why's that?" Dawn asked. "It looks good to me."

"On paper, it's perfect," the Trainer replied. "In practice, members of the Murkrow family generally have too good a reaction time to fall for it, especially the trained ones. It'll raise the wing to avoid the Bite, smack Turtwig with a Wing Attack, and finish it with the Sky Attack."

Dawn raised an eyebrow at his prediction, but turned towards the battle and gasped. True to Jack's word, Murkrow evaded the Bite by raising its wing, before striking with Wing Attack without a command. As Turtwig fell again and groaned, struggling to rise, the Flying-type ended the battle by slamming into the Grass-type with Sky Attack.

"How did you know?!" Dawn exclaimed as Ash recalled his Pokemon with appreciation for its efforts. "You guessed the outcome perfectly!"

"My older cousin has a Skarmory, a really powerful one," Jack replied, a sheepish grin on his face. "He taught me how to recognize the tensing muscles of a Flying-type to predict what's coming. What I said would happen to Turtwig was kinda luck-based, because no battle is truly predictable, but also from what Murkrow was gonna use."

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Paul was listening to every word, and was more than impressed. _He was able to guess what Murkrow was going to do with such accuracy?! I gave no verbal commands! He's no rookie, unlike Ketchum here. I gotta be careful if I fight him. _Turning towards Ash, he smirked. "You didn't show such good judgment there. Hope you choose wisely this time."

Ash snarled. "I'll show you! Pikachu, let's go!" His loyal Electric-type leapt off his shoulder and stood in front of Murkrow.

"So, I'm guessing Pikachu's gonna win?" Dawn commented.

Jack nodded. "Pikachu has clearly traveled a long time with Ash. It shouldn't have much trouble, unless Murkrow knows some certain moves…"

"Thunderbolt!" Pikachu charged up electricity in its cheeks, and prepared to fire it at its Flying-type enemy.

Paul smirked; he had a feeling that Thunderbolt would come up. "Sucker Punch!"

"What the- what does that do?" Dawn said, curious and surprised. Brock and Jack were also surprised that Murkrow knew that attack.

"Sucker Punch is a very dangerous attack," Brock explained. "If the opponent is attacking, Sucker Punch will strike first. If Pikachu didn't attack, though, Murkrow would have been an easy target, because the attack would have failed."

Said Flying-type suddenly zoomed towards Pikachu and slammed its glowing wing into it. The Electric-type stumbled back, before striking Murkrow with the Thunderbolt. It fell without another sound.

"All right, Murkrow. Return," Paul said, glancing at the Pokeball as he recalled his Pokemon. _Good enough, I suppose. We're working on your resistance to attacks later, though. _

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash cheered. His Pokemon also cheered, and prepared to fight its next opponent.

"No surprise there," Paul commented. "Too bad this will end soon. Chimchar, stand by for battle!" From his Pokeball came Sinnoh's Fire-type starter, who looked ready to fight.

"Chimchar, huh?" Ash muttered. "Thunderbolt, again!" Pikachu charged up more electricity, before firing it again.

"Use Ember!" Chimchar spat out a barrage of small fireballs, which collided with the Thunderbolt. The two attacks cancelled each other out, and left both sides at a stalemate.

_What do I do? _Ash wondered to himself. _Iron Tail's no good, and Quick Attack won't do too much. Volt Tackle's risky, so… _"Iron Tail on the ground, then throw the rocks at Chimchar!"

"NO!" Jack yelled. "You're on a freaking cliff! STOP!"

Unfortunately, it was too late for the fighting Trainers and their Pokemon. Pikachu slammed its silver-glowing tail into the ground, sending rocks scattering everywhere at high speeds. Chimchar took some damage, but the cliff collapsed under the four of them, sending them falling down the waterfall. The rocks missed Brock and Dawn, but one knocked out Jack because of a glancing blow to the head.

Ash, Paul, Chimchar, and Pikachu fell at high speeds; Ash was panicking, while Paul simply looked focused. He and Chimchar landed lightly on the tree, and began to scale down the cliff by leaping onto rocks and trees.

Ash and Pikachu didn't have this opportunity, so the Trainer simply reached for his Pokemon and tucked Pikachu into his arms as they landed in the water. Paul and Chimchar somersaulted in midair and landed on their feet.

"Are you all right?!" Brock called, carrying a limp Jack on his back.

"Yeah, you?" Ash replied, emerging from the water.

"We're fine," Dawn called. "Jack got hit, though. According to Brock, he should be fine, so focus on getting out of there! We'll try to get to you!"

"Okay!" Turning around, he saw Paul recall Chimchar and begin walking through the forest. "Wait!"

"What is it?" Paul asked roughly.

"We should stick together in this forest; apparently, there are people who DIED in this forest because they got hypnotized and never escaped," said Ash. This made Paul stop and think for a moment.

_It'll suck if I die out here just because I decided to go alone, but I'd rather not go with him…_ "Fine, but only until after we escape the forest," he replied. Ash nodded, and the two rivals grudgingly traveled together, seeking to escape the forest.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Ugh, that hurt," Jack groaned as he regained consciousness. Noticing that he was resting on the ground, he staggered up, still feeling dizzy from the injury.

"Oh, good!" Brock said in relief. "You're awake. Tell me, do you remember everything that happened?"

"Yeah," he replied in irritation. "That idiot sank the cliff on himself and Paul, and struck me with a rock. What the hell?" He looked around. "Where's Dawn?"

"She's fixing her hair or something at the stream," Brock said. "She should be done soon." As if on cue, the aspiring Coordinator stepped out from the trees, Piplup at her side.

"All ready!" she announced. "Let's go!" Then she noticed Jack. "You're awake! How are you?"

"Good, for now," he replied. "I wanna whack Ash on the head for his crazy stunt. You NEVER strike the ground with that kind of force on a cliff! Doesn't an experienced Trainer like him know that?!"

"Well, Ash is a little impulsive at times," the breeder commented, chuckling. "I guess he wanted to improvise a bit. But we should meet up with them; I'd rather not leave them alone out there."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Can't your Turtwig do anything right?!" Paul snarled as Chimchar and Turtwig were battling a group of Stantler. Turtwig had been hypnotized and had been hit by a Tackle while Chimchar was fending off the wild Pokemon with Ember. Eventually, the Stantler fled from the Fire-type, not wanting to endure any more Fire attacks.

"It's not our fault!" Ash protested, shaking his Turtwig from its dreams again. "They keep aiming for us!"

"Well, the fact is, that Turtwig's useless!" the purple-haired Trainer snapped, turning around as Ash scowled at him. He was stopped by a lone Stantler calling out. It stood several feet from Paul, legs bent in a battling stance.

"Hmph! Chimchar, Flame Wheel!" Chimchar covered itself in flames, before rolling and slamming into Stantler. It cried out in pain.

"All right, Pokeball! Get it!" Paul said as he threw the capsule at the wild Pokemon. It absorbed the Stantler, before shaking. Three shakes later, the movement stopped.

"Looks like that Stantler wants to be friends," Ash remarked. Paul ignored him as he scanned the Pokeball with his Pokedex.

"Please, this Stantler only knows the simple Tackle? What a waste of time! Get out!" He tossed the Pokeball up, sending out the Stantler with a flash of blue light. The Normal-type looked disappointed as it walked away.

"Hey, come on!" Ash protested. "That Stantler just wants to go with you, to be friends!"

"I don't have time for friends! They're useless!" snapped Paul. "Now, are you coming or do we separate?"

"I'm coming," Ash grumbled, feeding Turtwig with a Sitrus Berry he had found earlier. Soon, Turtwig was able to get up and walk.

They kept traveling until they saw a fork in the road. Glancing at each other, they pondered what to do.

Paul didn't take long to decide. "We go our separate ways here," he said roughly, before walking off on the right path with Chimchar.

"All right then, sheesh," Ash muttered. "Don't need to be so rude." He and Turtwig went down the left path in hopes of escaping the forest.

Walking for several minutes, he saw a Stantler in the bushes. Ash's blood ran cold; if he was hypnotized here, would he ever escape?

"AAAH! Whatever you do, don't look into its eyes!" he screamed to his Pokemon, and all three covered their eyes as the Trainer dashed off, before crashing into a tree and provoking the Beedrill living within.

"Why me…" Ash moaned, sprinting on the forest path, Beedrill close behind. To the side, the Stantler simply stared, not comprehending the situation.

The Trainer kept running until he crashed into something else; this time, it felt like a tough, furry wall. Looking up slowly, he and his Pokemon saw the face of an angry Ursaring, claws raised with malevolent intent.

"AAAHHHHH!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Paul and Chimchar searched for an exit, they found several Stantlers challenging them to battles, one at a time in different places. The Fire-type simply used Flame Wheel to mow them down, and Paul didn't look displeased with all of the wild Pokemon. _More training for you, Chimchar. Maybe we can get you up to scratch here. _Suddenly, he noticed three other people walking through the forest. It was none other than Brock, Dawn, and Jack.

"Hey, Paul! Good to see you're alive! Where's Ash?" Jack called, having been the first to spot the Trainer.

"Paul! What happened to Ash?!" Dawn asked in concern.

"Yeah, where is he?" Brock inquired.

"How should I know?" said Paul, rolling his eyes. We went down separate paths in a fork in the road. He'll probably burst out in three seconds with something chasing him."

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, he heard a scream from Bewilder Forest.

"Ash!" Twisting around and reaching for a Pokeball, he prepared to dash into the forest, when the Trainer sprinted out, Turtwig on his head, Pikachu on his right shoulder, and a furious Ursaring close behind him.

"Get out of the way!" Paul shouted, Chimchar getting ready to attack.

"Everyone! You're all right!" Ash ran to the side, leaving Ursaring to Paul.

"Now, Flame Wheel!" Chimchar coated itself in fire, before rolling into the Hibernator Pokemon. Ursaring screamed in pain as it felt the fire eat away at it.

"Pokeball, get it!" Paul said as he threw the capsule at Ursaring. Shaking three times, it stopped moving, indicating Ursaring's capture.

"Wow! Ursaring got caught!" Dawn said in wonder.

Ash simply looked annoyed. "Yeah, but for how long? If it's not up to his ridiculous standards, I bet he'll release it," he commented as Paul scanned the Pokeball with his Pokedex.

"This one's not bad, so I think I'll keep it." He pocketed the capsule, and turned towards Ash. "Are you still keeping that Turtwig? You should have learned in the forest, that Pokemon's pathetic."

Turtwig bristled, but Ash stepped up. "You just don't get it, do you? If you work with them, then they'll get strong. Let's battle once more!"

"Forget it!" Paul commented, recalling Chimchar. "You can't win." He started to walk away.

"You scared?" Ash taunted, trying to provoke him into battling. Jack rolled his eyes.

Paul turned around. "If you insist on making a fool out of yourself again," he snapped, "then be my guest!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"After you," Paul said as he and Ash stood in front of each other on the open field, Turtwig in front of Ash and Chimchar in front of Paul.

"Okay! Turtwig, Razor Leaf!" _Gotta keep my distance until Chimchar decides to get up close. _Turtwig jumped and rolled in midair, firing leaves from its head.

"Hmph, Flame Wheel!" The Fire-type rolled towards Turtwig, avoiding the leaves and slamming into the Grass-type. Turtwig was knocked back several feet and groaned, struggling to rise.

"You okay?!" Turtwig nodded and stood. "Good, now use Tackle!" The Pokemon sprinted in a headlong charge towards its opponent.

"Ugh, use Dig right in front of it!" Paul snapped.

"What the- what is he up to?" Ash muttered.

"Ooh, very clever," murmured Jack. "Not bad."

Dawn looked confused. "What is it?" she asked, while Brock suddenly realized what Jack meant.

"Turtwig's going to get trapped! STOP!" he yelled to Ash, but the damage was done. Chimchar burrowed into the ground just as Turtwig was about to slam into it, sending the Grass-type plunging into the hole.

"Now, Flame Wheel!" Paul ordered. Ash's eyes widened as he realized what would happen.

"Turtwig, you gotta get out of there!" he pleaded, but it was for naught. The hole suddenly erupted into flames, sending the Grass-type flying with burn marks all over it.

"End this with Ember!" Chimchar spat out a barrage of tiny fireballs, which Turtwig saw coming. Struggling to get up, it tried to summon the strength to get away from the attack, but it was hit anyway. This last attack took the last of Turtwig's power, and it fell, not rising.

"Oh, no! Turtwig!" Ash cried out, running towards his loyal Grass-type Pokemon. Paul simply smirked at Ash's reaction. The defeated Trainer looked down, regret etched across his face, as Brock, Jack and Dawn went to comfort him.

"Look at the bright side, Ash," Brock said consolingly. "It was a great battle!"

"Yeah, and I learned a whole lot from it too!" Dawn encouraged.

"You just had a bad type disadvantage," Jack put in. "When you guys battle again, you'll know what to expect." _I think I'd better forget about Pikachu sinking them and a rock hitting me. Doesn't seem like bringing that up would help._

They turned to the sound of Chimchar celebrating, which Paul looked annoyed by. "Being pathetic is nothing to be proud of," he snapped, as Chimchar looked down in shame. Paul recalled the starter and snorted.

"Hey, don't you know how to say anything nice?!" Ash shouted as he stood up, holding Turtwig.

The purple-haired Trainer smirked. "What else would I say to a loser?"

"What?! Hey, wait!" yelled Ash as Paul walked off, towards Oreburgh City. He bristled in sheer anger, not believing the cruelty of his new rival. _Looks like we'll never be friends. I'd never befriend someone who treats Pokemon like that._

"Don't let him get to you, Ash," Dawn said angrily, glaring at the walking Trainer.

"He's not worth it," Brock commented. Jack said nothing, instead looking thoughtful about the confrontation.

"Yeah, we'll I'm never losing to him again!" Ash said defiantly. "Next time, that guy's gonna be real sorry!"

_**A/N: WOW, ridiculously long chapter. Well, it was either that, or a really short one and a medium one. Take your pick. (If you would have liked option 2, I'm sorry.)**_

_** Anyway, I've been thinking about how Ash was portrayed in the anime, and I think he was at his worst in Sinnoh. In my opinion, he was the least mature in the D/P Series (if he was worse in Unova, in my defense, I didn't watch the B/W series at all). True, Paul is shown as an abusive trainer, but I think he was only cruel to Chimchar, and look at what happened there. Infernape (formerly Chimchar) beat Paul in the Sinnoh conference, no matter how you look at it (whether Ash won by barely enough skill, or by luck, or whatever).**_

_** Another thing that interests me is what Ash said in the episode, "Different Strokes for Different Blokes" (the reference for this chapter). He said that he'd never lose to Paul again, and look at the records of their battles. Ash only won two confrontations with Paul, one of which wasn't even a battle!**_

_** Anyway, read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~Red Aura Guard, signing out. (Seriously, I think I'm gonna wind up misspelling "signing" with "singing" someday and not catch it.)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: Paul Vs. Roark**_

_**A/N: It's been a while, hasn't it? Yay, new chapter! I had major writer's block with this. Leave comments about further encounters between Ash, Paul, and Jack in the reviews.**_

_**Question of the day: do you think Paul's training style was too harsh on some/most/all of his Pokemon **__**OTHER**__** than Chimchar? I'll leave my response later on, for those who care.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

"Man, when are we gonna get out of this cave?" Ash moaned. It had been several hours since the group had left Bewilder Forest, and were now in the Oreburgh Gate. With Ash's Pikachu disposing of the Zubats with Thunderbolt, they had no trouble with the wild Pokemon. The real problem was Ash's navigation.

Wanting to play the part of a leader, said Trainer attempted to lead his friends out of the cave. Brock, hoping that his friend had changed since Hoenn, reluctantly agreed. He was sadly wrong.

Jack had protested that the way to Oreburgh was just straight down the path; Ash had insisted that they had to turn right to exit the cave, and now the group was looking down into a large underground lake, FAR from where they needed to be.

"Ash?" Jack said with forced calm.

"Yeah?"

"You suck with directions. If you were a GPS, I would send you back to the store and demand a refund."

"Okay, fine!" Ash snapped. "Why don't you lead us to Oreburgh, then? Let's see how well you do!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"See? I told you it was just straight down the path!"

"…"

True to Jack's word, taking the path he had initially suggested led the group to the site of any Sinnoh Trainer's first Gym battle.

"Okay, ignoring Ash's lack of navigational skills," Dawn said, earning her a glare from said Trainer and a chuckle from the other two, "let's go the the Gym. That is, if Turtwig's feeling well enough."

"Turtwig's fine," Brock said. "I treated it personally, and I must say, Turtwig seemed very eager to win a battle."

"Well, no wonder! We're gonna win this!" Ash said cheerfully.

"Looks like you're gonna have to wait until tomorrow," Jack commented. "Paul beat us here."

Upon being approached by the group, Paul turned around, slightly surprised.

"What the- didn't you get a head start on me?" he asked in confusion. "You went through the Oreburgh Gate, whereas I took the longer route. You should have been here before me."

"You see," Ash began, "we wanted to do some training-"

"Ash got us lost," Jack put in, sighing. "We were at that underground lake when he let me lead. NOW we're here."

Paul snickered. "Figures, a pathetic Trainer also has a pathetic sense of direction."

"What?!" Ash shouted angrily. Before the argument could get out of hand, a person stepped out of the Gym.

"Well, hello there! I'm Roark, the Gym Leader here! Who are you, and who's going to be challenging me today?"

"I'm Paul, and I believe I'm your first opponent," the purple-haired Trainer said.

Ash sighed. _Paul does deserve to go first, since he beat us here. _"I'm Ash, from Pallet Town!"

"I'm Jack, nice to meet you."

"Dawn, but I'm not challenging the Gym."

"Nor am I. I'm Brock."

"Well, follow me!" Roark said enthusiastically, before he thought of something. "Hey, Paul."

"Hmm?"

"Would it be alright with you if they watched your battle? I don't want to just send them away until tomorrow, but if you insist-"

"Let them. I couldn't care less." With that, he followed the Gym Leader into the building, ignoring Ash's glare at his callous behavior.

On the way to the battlefield, Jack said to Ash, "Do you wanna go tomorrow, or should I? If I go, you'll have more time to prepare for the battle. If you go, then you'll have a faster shot at beating Roark and collecting the Badge sooner."

_Hmm, that's a good question. On one hand, I'd love to win this thing sooner. On the other hand, some prep sounds good, and I'm aching to see his Pokemon. _"Why don't you go first? I'd love to see your Pokemon."

"Sure, thanks. Means I can get going sooner," Jack replied. Ash looked confused.

"To put it simply, I don't like staying put in one place for too long. I like the mining system here, but I'm really a traveler by heart."

"No problem!" Ash said. "But will you watch my battle?" Jack nodded, and motioned for the conversation to stop. They were at the field.

Paul and Roark took places on opposite sides of the field, whereas the audience took seats on the bleachers to the side. A referee stood on a step to the side.

"The battle between the challenger Paul and the Gym Leader Roark will now begin! Each side will use three Pokemon, and only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. The battle will be over when all three Pokemon of one Trainer is unable to battle! Send out your Pokemon!"

"Geodude, let's go!" Roark shouted, throwing a Pokeball to reveal the Rock-type Pokemon.

"Azumarill, stand by for battle!" Paul said shortly, releasing the Water-type Pokemon.

Dawn checked the entry on Paul's Pokemon. _Azumarill, the Aquarabbit Pokemon, and the evolved form of Marill. It lives in rivers and lakes. In water, its coloring and patterns trick the vision of its foes._

"Since Azumarill's a Water-type, it has the advantage, right?" Dawn asked.

Brock nodded. "In theory, yes." Dawn looked confused, but turned her attention to the battle.

"Hydro Pump, go!" Paul ordered. Azumarill shot a compressed blast of water at its opponent.

"Use Hidden Power!" Geodude formed a cluster of orbs in its hands, before firing the orbs at the Hydro Pump. Surprisingly, the Hidden Power cut through the water and hit Azumarill. The Water-type was flung back painfully.

"Great job!" Roark praised. "Now, use Rollout!" Geodude curled itself into a ball and rolled towards Azumarill at high speeds.

"Stop it with one more Hydro Pump!" Mustering up its remaining strength, Azumarill spat out one more jet of water at its foe. Unfortunately, the Rock-type was able to tilt itself to avoid the attack and slam into Azumarill, damaging it badly. Turning and striking it again before the Water-type could react, Geodude finished off its opponent.

"Azumarill is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Geodude is the winner!"

"Wow, a Water-type just lost to a Rock-type!" Dawn gasped in wonder. "Geodude's even a Ground-type as well… Brock, you were right when you said Azumarill had the advantage in theory."

Paul scowled. "Azumarill, return," he snapped, recalling his fallen Pokemon. Glaring at the Pokeball, he growled, "Good for nothing."

"You creep!" Ash yelled. Pikachu yelled out in protest as well. Paul ignored them.

"Chimchar, stand by for battle!" The Fire-type came out slightly nervously, but still seemed eager to battle.

_What could he be up to? Chimchar has a major disadvantage because its attacks won't work well and ours will, but either way… _"Use Rollout!" Roark commanded. Geodude continued its charge and aimed for Chimchar.

The Rock-type sped towards Chimchar, who was looking even more nervous. It seemed like Paul wasn't going to have Chimchar dodge.

"Paul, you gotta have Chimchar dodge!" Ash called out, unable to take it anymore.

"Be quiet!" Paul snapped, making Ash scowl. "Now, use Dig!" The Fire-type burrowed into the ground seconds before Geodude would have hit it. Said Rock-type wasn't able to stop in time, and fell into the hole.

"Use Flame Wheel!" The incomplete hole erupted into flames, sending a burning Geodude out. It landed on the ground and attempted to get up, before getting struck by the completed Dig attack. Geodude did not get up.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Chimchar is the winner!" the referee declared.

"Great job, buddy," Roark said kindly, recalling his Pokemon. "Take a good rest." Turning to Paul, he said, "Not bad at all. Let's see if you can pull a win against this guy! Onix, let's go!" The large Rock-type snake came out with a massive roar.

Brock looked at it in approval. "That Onix is clearly well-trained," he commented. "I mean, look at it. Its coating is tough, its eyes are sharp, it's tough. What else could you want?"

"Now, Onix!" Roark shouted. "Use Double-Edge!" The Rock-type Pokemon glowed with white energy, before charging towards Chimchar. This time, the attack collided, and the Fire-type was sent flying towards the wall. It got up, legs shaking in exhaustion.

"Wait, what happened?" Dawn asked. "Shouldn't Onix have taken damage, too?"

"Normally, yes. However," Brock said, "Onix can have the Rock Head ability. It nullifies recoil damage from attacks like Double-Edge."

"Dig, let's go!" Chimchar plowed into the ground again as it prepared to attack Onix.

Roark suddenly had an idea. "Use Screech down the hole!" Onix slithered towards the hole in the ground and opened its mouth, before sending powerful sound waves at Chimchar. Without warning, however, the Fire-type shot up and hit Onix with the completed Dig, boosted by the Screech. The Rock-type was sent flying, groaning in pain. Likewise, Chimchar looked about to fall over. Its eyes were hazy, and it was swerving on its feet.

"Chimchar…" Ash muttered in sympathy. _Why is Paul pushing his Pokemon so hard? Doesn't Chimchar deserve to stop now?" _Ash suddenly noticed a red glow around Chimchar.

Paul smirked. "Now we're talking. Chimchar, use Flame Wheel on Onix's head!" The Fire-type rolled forward with newfound confidence, colliding with Onix. The Flame Wheel blinded the Rock-type, and it looked around frantically.

"Now, Dig!" Chimchar dug into the ground again to finish Onix.

"Onix, calm down!" Roark cried, but it was in vain. Unable to concentrate, it was an open target for Chimchar, who knocked it out with one more Dig attack.

"Not bad, Chimchar," Paul commented as said Pokemon landed on Paul's side, panting.

"Great effort, Onix," Roark said. "Thank you. Take a good rest." He recalled his fallen Pokemon and faced his challenger. "Well, Paul. You've done very well so far, but now here comes my ace! Cranidos, let's go!" From Roark's Pokeball came a bipedal dinosaur-like Pokemon.

"A Cranidos?" Dawn muttered, checking her Pokedex. _Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokemon. It lived in jungles around one hundred million years ago. Its skull is as hard as iron._

"Cranidos, use Headbutt!" The Rock-type sped forward with surprising speed, slamming into Chimchar before it could react.

"Dig!" Paul commanded. However, Chimchar was too scared to move.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

"When Headbutt hits, it may cause its opponents to flinch out of fear from the blow," said Brock. "I don't think Chimchar's gonna be able to keep going."

"Now, end this with one more Headbutt!" Roark shouted. Cranidos slammed into Chimchar one more time, knocking it out.

"Chimchar is unable to battle! Cranidos is the winner!" the referee announced.

Paul looked annoyed as he recalled his Pokemon. "Chimchar, I'll deal with you later," he muttered. "Now, then. Ursaring, stand by for battle!" Out came the large bear-like Pokemon, who roared in challenge. Paul and Cranidos both looked surprised to see Ursaring.

"Where'd you get an Ursaring, Paul?" the Gym Leader asked, bewildered.

"From Bewilder Forest," he remarked. "Now, use Hammer Arm!" Ursaring ran forward with a glowing arm, aiming to pound its opponent into submission.

"Dodge, then use Zen Headbutt!" Sidestepping the wide strike, Cranidos rammed Ursaring's side with a glowing head, sending it stumbling back.

"Now!" Paul shouted. "Hammer Arm, trap its tail! Follow up with a second one!" Smirking, the Normal-type took advantage of its adversary's momentary standstill and crushed its tail with a glowing arm. As Cranidos screamed in pain, Ursaring used its other arm to slam it into the ground. Cranidos struggled to get up for a moment, but could not muster the strength to rise.

"Cranidos is unable to battle! Ursaring is the winner, and the victor is Paul!" The referee raised an arm towards Paul, indicating the winner.

"Great battle, Cranidos. Get some rest," Roark said, recalling his Pokemon. Paul did the same, but silently. The Gym Leader walked up to his challenger with a small metal case. "As the Oreburgh Gym Leader, I present to you the Coal Badge." He opened the case, revealing the small badge.

"Thank you very much," the purple-haired Trainer replied, bowing slightly and taking the badge. Putting it in his case, he turned around to leave.

"Paul, wait up!" Ash cried. "Don't you wanna watch me battle?" However, the victorious Trainer simply kept walking.

"Oh, come on!" Dawn protested, stepping off the bleachers and running towards Paul. "Since you're here, don't you want to see how strong Ash has become?"

Paul's piercing gaze turned towards her, making her stop. He seemed to be thinking heavily about it. Finally, he said, "Who are you?"

This made Dawn furious. "Excuse me?! Don't you remember me?! We met once, no, several times before! The name's Dawn! Ring a bell?"

"Nope."

An explosion could have been envisioned around Dawn. "You think you're funny, don't you?!" she fumed. Brock had to leap over the fence and restrain her in order to stop her from attacking Paul. "You rage-inducing, infuriating, horrible creep! Apologize!" Said Trainer just stood there, emotionless.

"You're welcome to stay, Paul," Roark offered, wanting to end the dispute before it got violent.

Finally, Paul smirked. "With that much enthusiasm, how can I refuse?"

"Great!" Ash said determinedly. "I'm going to show you a whole new style of battling!" Turning towards Roark, he said, "I'm ready whenever you are!"

"Hold on, Ash," the Gym Leader said, chuckling. "We should do this tomorrow, when my team's healed."

The Trainer stopped and realized that Roark's Pokemon were in no shape to battle for the rest of the day. "You're right. Tomorrow, then."

"Great! See you all tomorrow!" With that, the Gym Leader left the building. Jack turned towards Ash.

"I thought you wanted me to go first?" he commented, puzzled.

_Oh, right. _"Yeah, but I really want to show Paul," Ash glanced at his rival, "that there are better ways of training and battling."

_Oh, dear, _Jack thought. _This could get real violent, real fast. Why the hell would he say that right in front of Paul?! _

"You can be a real pain in the ass, you know that?" Paul snapped, getting annoyed.

Before Ash could retort, Brock stepped in. "All right, you two. Let's wait until tomorrow to insult each other." Paul nodded and left through the other doorway.

Ash scowled at Paul's walking figure. "I'll show him! I'm sure of it!"

_**A/N: I FINALLY got this chapter done! Not as long as the previous one, but lengths like those will be rare. (If it seems a bit rushed, sorry.)**_

_** Sorry about the long delay; I've had a lot of studying to do for my summer math course (for credit and everything).**_

_** One thing about the anime that always made me tear my hair out was Ash always trying to get Paul to follow his own training style. Torterra, Paul's starter, even learned Frenzy Plant under Paul, and starters only get those kinds of moves through maxed out friendship in-game. None of Ash's starters have an elemental Hyper Beam. Ash preaches about being best friends with his Pokemon; why don't his fully-evolved ones have Blast Burn or Frenzy Plant? (He currently has no fully-evolved Water-type starters, so no Hydro Cannon).**_

_**Am I bashing/ranting on Ash too much?**_

_**Well, read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~Red Aura Guard, signing out.**_


	3. Apology for Lack of updates

_** Wow, how long has it been since my last update?**_

_** I am SO SORRY for not being able to update within the past few weeks (or is it a month?). My computer's being acting weirdly for a while, misplacing docs, etc. Also, the internet's been… sporadic as of late. To top it off, I've had tests to study for.**_

_** Again, my deepest apologies for the delays, and I hope to update more. :D**_

_**~RedAuraGuard**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: Oreburgh Gym Battle! Ash vs Roark, Jack vs Roark!**_

_**A/N: A new chapter! How long ago was the last one? **_

_**Anyway, enjoy!**_

The next day, Ash was well-rested and ready to take on the Gym Leader. His eyes shone with determination to prove Paul wrong; that there were better ways to battle and treat Pokemon.

Like its Trainer, Pikachu was raring to battle that day. It hadn't battled Rock-types in a long time, and was prepared to test itself yet again.

"You ready to show Paul what we've got, Pikachu?" Ash asked. His starter nodded in reply, and the two stepped out of their room in the Pokemon Center. Brock and Dawn were waiting for him in the lobby.

"So, Ash. You got a game plan for Roark?" Dawn asked.

He nodded. "I'm using Pikachu for sure. Aipom's Focus Punch is also going to come in handy. Turtwig is a Grass-type, so I should be fine!"

"Don't get too cocky, Ash," Jack warned, stepping out from the cafeteria. "Roark's a Gym Leader for a reason; he's obviously prepared to fight type-advantages. Look at Paul's Azumarill; it got flattened by Geodude by just a few hits."

"I agree," Brock put in. "As a Rock-type Gym Leader myself, I can say for sure that Rock-types are tough. Having type-advantage with attacks isn't everything, and you know it Ash. You'll need a strategy, especially because Turtwig was recently caught and you haven't trained much with Aipom."

"He's right. Rock-types are generally slow unless they have a boost from Rock Polish or something. The sheer speed of Paul's Pokemon let him seriously mess around with Roark's team," said Jack.

Ash nodded in agreement. "True, so what do I do?"

"That's a no-brainer," Paul smirked, having collected his Pokemon from Nurse Joy. "Just do what I did, and even you shouldn't have any problems."

Ash growled. "I'd never do what you do! I wouldn't force Chimchar to fight the way you did for a million bucks!" Their argument was interrupted by another Trainer running towards Paul.

"Hey, wow! Thanks a lot for the Azumarill, mister!" he said happily. "We'll train real hard, so see ya!" He ran off, Paul raising a hand in acknowledgement.

"You gave him Azumarill?!" snapped Ash, furious. "How could you?!"

"Yeah, you could have kept training it!" Dawn yelled, ignoring the stares of passerby.

Paul shook his head. "No, it was a lost cause; it wasn't going to get any stronger."

"You're wrong!" his rival said angrily. "You could have kept training it, you know! Then it would have become strong!"

"Remember, Ash; you're the one who wanted me to stop releasing Pokemon back into the wild." The raven-haired Trainer was at a loss for words, unable to give a response.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Ash, isn't it time for your Gym battle?" Dawn asked. "When you beat Roark, you'll show him who's right!"

Paul simply snorted. "Hmph, we'll see about that." With that, he walked out of the Center, a stewing Ash glaring at him from behind.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Ash!" Roark said happily, waiting outside the Gym. "I'm glad you made it! Are you ready to take on the Oreburgh Gym?"

"Yeah, let's do this!" the Trainer exclaimed. He hurried over to the battlefield, Roark and the others behind him.

When both Trainers stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, the referee stepped up and announced, "The battle between the challenger Ash and the Gym Leader Roark will now begin! Each side will use three Pokemon, and only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. The battle will be over when all three Pokemon of one Trainer is unable to battle! Send out your Pokemon!"

"Geodude, let's go!" Out came the small Rock-type Pokemon again.

"Turtwig, I choose you!" Ash yelled, throwing the Pokeball and revealing the Grass-type starter.

"All right Ash, let's see what you got!" Roark called. "Hidden Power!" Orbs formed around Geodude, and it shot out its arms to fire the attack.

"Use Razor Leaf!" Turtwig's leaves collided with its opponent's attack, and the two cancelled each other out.

"Now use Tackle!" Ash commanded. Turtwig, though it looked confused, charged forward nevertheless.

Dawn stared. "What's he doing? Why isn't he using Razor Leaf?" she asked.

"He's being smart," Jack said. "Hopefully. Watch closer and we'll find out."

"A Normal-type attack won't work well on Geodude, Ash!" Roark said loudly. "Use Rollout!" Geodude curled itself into a ball and started to charge forward.

The challenging Trainer smirked. "Now, roll to the side and use Razor Leaf!" Finally understanding its Trianer's plot, the Grass-type narrowly avoided the Rollout and shot leaves at Geodude's side. The attack struck the Rock-type Pokemon, sent it flying, and left it nearly unconscious.

"Not bad, Ash!" the Gym Leader complimented. "You definitely made me underestimate you there, but that stops here! Geodude, if you can, use one more Rollout!" Though the Rock-type was clearly exhausted, it was able to roll into a ball and dash forward once more.

"One more Razor Leaf!" Ash yelled. This time, the attack was sufficient to knock out the opponent. Geodude slammed into the stones on the ground and groaned.

"Geodude is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Turtwig is the winner!"

"You did it, Turtwig!" Ash cheered. Turtwig grinned and cried out in excitement. Paul snorted, but otherwise kept his peace.

"Ash did it! He took out Geodude!" Dawn squealed, already excited by the match. "Turtwig didn't even get hit once!"

Glancing to his side, Brock noticed that Jack's head was swaying slightly and the Trainer's eyes were barely wider than his own; he was almost asleep. He nudged him with his arm, and Jack shot up.

"Huh, what did I miss?" he muttered. "I saw Turtwig take down Geodude with two Razor Leafs. What else happened?"

"Nothing," the breeder chuckled. "You must be used to more intense battles, huh?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, like seeing two powerful Pokemon clash against each other with fierce attacks that shake the whole stadium, insane tactics that require absolute trust and perfect timing. Battles where one side has an absolute disadvantage, yet through their bonds, power, skills, and smarts, they pull through. Pretty much the battles where bonds with Pokemon are truly put in the wringer." His eyes were shining, and he was evidently imagining one such battle. "I enjoy watching the battles where the true stars shine brightest." Jack's eyes suddenly dulled. "Or maybe I just need more sleep."

Unknown to him, Paul had paid close attention to his small speech with interest. _He's just like my brother, yet he seems to wield real power. Just who are you, Jack?_

The audience turned their attention back to the battlefield, where Roark had sent out his Cranidos.

"Turtwig, return!" Ash called, raising his Pokeball. The starter went back in with a flash of red light. "You were awesome; get some rest." Turning to Pikachu, he said, "You ready, Pikachu?" The Electric-type nodded and dashed onto the field, cheeks sparking.

"Cranidos, use Headbutt!" The Rock-type charged forward, aiming to end the battle with one shot.

"Dodge, then use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled. Pikachu jumped into the air with a glowing tail, avoiding the Headbutt and slamming its tail down. Surprisingly, Cranidos was able to block the hit with its hard head.

"Wow, that's fast," Dawn remarked. "I didn't think Cranidos would have been able to do that."

"Its defense everywhere except for its head is pretty bad," Brock commented. "Roark would need to make up for that with speed using its head as a shield."

"Flamethrower!"

"Thunderbolt!"

The two attacks collided with each other in a large explosion, sending smoke through the whole field. Fortunately for the battlers and the spectators, it cleared quickly. When it did, neither side appeared to take damage from the blast.

Roark's eyes gleamed. "Let me show you our most powerful attack, Ash. Cranidos, use Head Smash!" The Gym Leader's Pokemon roared, and enveloped itself in blue energy. It then sprinted towards its Electric-type opponent.

"So Roark taught it that move after all," Paul muttered, paying more attention to the battle than before.

"We'll match it head-on!" Ash said defiantly. "Pikachu, Volt Tackle!" The Mouse Pokemon also charged towards its opponent, a cloak of electricity surrounding it.

Jack shook his head. "No, no, don't do that," he murmured irritably. "Cranidos can't be beaten easily in a head-on collision, especially if the attacker is a Pikachu. Maybe if it were a Salamence, but even then… a Head Smash…"

Paul was also visibly annoyed. "What a pathetic strategy."

When the two Pokemon clashed, they struggled against each other. Neither side gave ground. Eventually, the mixture of energies caused a much larger explosion than the one from before that everyone had to raise their arms against. When the field was visible again, Pikachu and Cranidos were staggering in exhaustion. They glared at each other in defiance of surrender. Suddenly, Cranidos began to glow with a harsh white light.

"Uh-oh," Dawn gasped. "Is that what I think that is?"

Brock nodded. "Yeah, Cranidos is evolving!"

Its legs grew longer, twice as long as they used to be. The thick skull grew even larger, and spikes appeared around it. Its arms remained stubby, but its tail also increased in length. When all was said and done, a Rampardos stood where Cranidos once stood.

"All right!" Roark cheered. "Use Zen Headbutt!" Not wanting to give its opponent time to recover from the shock, Rampardos ran forward even more aggressively than before with a pink-glowing head. Pikachu tried rolling out of the way a second too late, and was knocked back. It barely stood up, cheeks sparking.

Ash was worried; one more hit would knock Pikachu down for good. "Thunderbolt!" he cried desperately. Charging up the last of its energy, it fired a large Thunderbolt at Rampardos.

"Flamethrower!" The large Pokemon opened its mouth and spat out a torrent of fire, blocking the attack. The effort of the Thunderbolt was too much for Pikachu, however, and it collapsed.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Rampardos is the winner!" the referee announced.

Ash groaned and ran to his fallen partner. Gently picking Pikachu up from the ground, he asked, "Are you okay?" The Electric-type opened its eyes and nodded slightly.

The Coordinator was amazed. "Wow, what power… Ash needs to think of something quick." _You can do it, Ash!_

Standing up, the Trainer walked back to the box on his side of the field. Laying the now-awake Pikachu gently on the ground, he picked up a Pokeball. "Aipom, I choose you!" The mokey-like Pokemon leapt out of the capsule happily, before staring at the hulking behemoth in front of it. Aipom's eyes bulged at the sight of Rampardos.

"Go for another Headbutt!" Roark commanded. His Pokemon charged forward like before; headfirst and quickly.

"Dodge and use Focus Punch!" Shaking itself, Aipom's tail glowed as it jumped up to dodge the attack. However, Rampardos proved to be too fast. It snapped its head up to take the Focus Punch and crashed into Aipom, sending the Normal-type flying into the wall. It staggered up painfully, before collapsing.

Brock winced. "That was a painful critical hit. It would take insane defenses for something to take that and stand."

Ash growled; the battle was collapsing all around him. He took out his last Pokeball and said, "Turtwig, it's all on you!" The Grass-type appeared on the field, ready to take on the world.

Dawn winced. "Turtwig's going to get roasted by Flamethrower. Poor Ash."

"Razor Leaf!"

"Flamethrower!"

The two attacks collided, but unlike Thunderbolt, Razor Leaf couldn't break through. Turtwig was pushed back by the intense flames and was nearly knocked out.

"Come on, Turtwig!" Ash called. "You can do it!" Struggling under the pain of the fiery attack, the starter growled softly as its legs found new energy and a green aura surrounded it; Overgrow.

"Yes! Get up close and use Razor Leaf!" Charging forward, Turtwig aimed to fire a close-range Razor Leaf to end the battle with one blow. Unfortunately for Ash and his Pokemon, Roark was able to use this to his advantage.

"Flamethrower!" Rampardos opened its maw and spat out another jet of fire, which collided with the Razor Leaf of a surprised Turtwig. This time, the two attacks caused another explosion that pushed them both back.

Rampardos and Turtwig glared at each other, neither wanting to give way. The Rock-type swayed under the weight of heavy battling, while the Grass-type groaned from the fire that scorched its shell. Finally, one of them gave in.

When the referee saw Turtwig fall, he announced, "Turtwig is unable to battle! The winner is Rampardos, so the victory goes to Roark!"

Ash walked to the field and picked up his fallen Pokemon. "Are you okay?" he asked kindly. Turtwig opened its eyes and nodded painfully.

"Great work, Rampardos," Roark congratulated his Pokemon. "Your evolution was amazing. Get some well-earned rest." He recalled Rampardos and approached Ash. "Whenever you're ready, come challenge me again."

"Ash lost…" Dawn said sadly. "He was doing so well until Cranidos evolved."

Jack smiled to himself. _That Rampardos is strong. Maybe I'll find a good challenge in it. _Exiting the bleachers, he walked up to Roark and said, "Would it be possible to have our battle today?"

The Gym Leader looked at him. "Umm, sure. I'll need about an hour or so for Rampardos to heal, but Geodude's out for the day."

"I know you've got some more Pokemon up your sleeve," the Trainer said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to battle one of them as well."

Roark nodded. "Okay, but they're much stronger than what I'm normally allowed to use in Gym battles. Is that okay with you?" When he saw Jack nod, he said, "Okay then. We'll meet here in one hour."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ash sighed as he sat on the couch in the Pokemon Center. After dropping off his Pokemon with Nurse Joy, he took the time to think about the battle. _I got too careless after Turtwig activated Overgrow. And I should have known that Aipom couldn't beat Rampardos in a head-on collision. What should I do?_

"Ash?" Dawn said comfortingly, taking a seat next to him. "Don't feel down. You'll do way better tomorrow!"

Brock nodded as he looked at his friends. "Now that you know what Roark's Rampardos is capable of, you can make a strategy to beat it." He thought for a moment. "Say, you want to watch Jack's battle? It's about to start."

Ash nodded and got up. "Sure! I wanna see what kind of Pokemon he has, and maybe I'll figure out a strategy from the battle."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"This Gym Battle will be a standard three-on-three match! Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon, and this battle will be over when all three of one side's Pokemon are unable to continue! Gym Leader Roark, send out your Pokemon!"

"All right, then! Let's go, Onix!" Roark shouted, sending out the massive Rock-type serpent. It roared in challenge, daring anyone bold enough to test their might against it.

Jack's eyes were filled with a slightly malevolent glow as he picked a Pokeball. "Let's make this a good match, because it's been too long since I've had one! Aggron, show them your iron will!" From the Pokeball came the Steel-type Pokemon; it stood tall on the battlefield. Its eyes shined with vicious cunning and its claws glinted in the Gym's light. The armor plating covering it was clearly well-treated; it shone like a diamond. When Aggron roared, even Onix inched away unconsciously.

_Not good… that's an Aggron, and a very well-trained one, too. _"Use Earthquake!" Onix slammed its tail into the ground and sent shockwaves rolling through the entire stadium. The referee nearly fell off of his podium, and the spectators instinctively grabbed the rails on the bleachers.

"Magnet Rise, then Iron Head," Jack said succinctly; the Earthquake didn't seem to bother him in the least. Aggron, appearing to defy all laws of physics, rose up with magnetic power to avoid the attack, before speeding towards its foe with its horned skull.

The attack didn't just collide with Onix; it left a massive indent in the Rock-type's body and sent it crashing to the ground. It didn't even groan or try to rise as it lay flat at the point of impact. The Steel-type settled on the ground and glared at its fallen foe.

"Err- Onix is unable to battle, the winner is Aggron!" the referee announced, shocked by the quick knockout.

Dawn stared at the Steel-type. "Whoa, that was amazing! I barely saw that!"

"Yeah, he did a good job raising it," Brock said approvingly. "Look at that impact!"

_Wow, we might have to fight that thing one day, _Ash thought to himself. _I'm looking forward to it._

Roark's eyes were wide as he thanked his Pokemon and recalled it. _Against a Steel-type of that caliber, I don't stand a chance. Unless… _"Golem, time to rock!" A burst of white light came from the Pokeball, and a large round Pokemon landed heavily on the field. Its body was mostly large pieces of stone arranged like a sphere. A pair of stubby arms and short, sturdy legs protruded from the boulder, along with a serpentine head.

"Flash Cannon!" Aggron opened its maw and fired a blast of silver energy at Golem. Just before the attack made contact, Roark gave his order.

"Use Flamethrower and Rollout!" the Gym Leader shouted. Golem curled up, spat out flames, and began its attack. Surprisingly, the Rock-type had the control over its Rollout to maneuver away from Flash Cannon and continue towards Metagross.

Jack was impressed; not many Pokemon could hope to maintain a Rollout, use an elemental attack to boost it, and dodge its enemy's attack to boot. "Not bad at all!" he called. "Let's play pinball, Aggron! Iron Tail!" The Steel-type swung its heavy tail and aimed for Golem's side; the part not boosted by Flamethrower.

The plan went off without a hitch; Golem was sent careening into the wall, where it bounced off and began its out-of-control bouncing. It slammed into the stadium's large rocks, off the walls, and made Onix's Earthquake feel like a Ponyta ride.

Once again, the spectators were forced to duck or grab onto the railings as the large Golem slammed into the walls. Finally, it came to a standing stop near Roark. Its eyes were spinning and it was swaying wildly, about to fall over.

Jack opened his mouth to give the command when Roark shouted, "Enough! I forfeit this round!"

The referee nodded and yelled, "Golem has been deemed unfit to battle, so the round goes to Aggron! Gym Leader, select your final Pokemon!"

Roark simply couldn't find the words to describe the situation. Golem hadn't even gotten a hit in; it was actually launched like a pinball! He knew his last Pokemon would most likely fall as well, but he had to try. "Rampardos, let's go!" His Fossil Pokemon made its entrance yet again with a massive roar. The two giants leered at each other and snarled softly.

"Thunder!" roared Jack. The Steel-type charged electricity between its horns, aimed its head towards Rampardos, and fired a surprisingly large blast of electricity.

"Flamethrower!" Roark yelled desperately. His Pokemon spat out yet another torrent of flames. Unlike with Pikachu's Thunderbolt, however, the Thunder powered through the Fire-type attack and plowed into Rampardos with an explosion of electricity. When it settled, Rampardos was shown to have suffered greatly from the attack. Its knees were shaking and it was hissing in pain.

"End this with Iron Head!" Aggron collided with Rampardos' stomach with its glowing head, before flinging it into the wall. Rampardos struggled to rise, but its stubby arms didn't have the strength to. It fell and did not get up.

"Rampardos is unable to battle! The winner is Aggron, so the victory goes to the challenger Jack!" the referee shouted, declaring the end of the match.

Roark whistled. "Wow, that battle was amazing!" He took out a small box, held it out, and opened it. "You more than deserve this; the Coal Badge."

"Sweet! Thanks for the battle!" With that, Jack took the badge from the case and turned to his Pokemon. "You were awesome, Aggron!" The large Pokemon rumbled happily, before it was returned to its Pokeball.

Ash looked at Jack with newfound respect. _That was something else. He took out a Gym Leader without breaking a sweat! Someday, I'm going to beat him!_

_**A/N: Ash fails to defeat Roark after a surprise evolution for Cranidos, but Jack's Aggron proved to be far too much for the Gym Leader. What will happen next?**_

_**By the way, we all know that Ash is going to beat Roark in a rematch (there would be no fanfiction if he didn't), so do you guys want me to write a chapter on him defeating Roark or not?**_

_**Read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~RedAuraGuard, signing out.**_


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